Actuator for momentary switch



- Oct. 1, 1957 D, CASE HA 2;808,490

ACTUATOR FOR MOMENTARY SWITCH Filed June 14, 1955 United states atent assignors to Electra-Snap Switch & Mfg. (30., Chicago,

Ill, a corporation of Illinois Application June 14, 1955, Serial No. 515,386

Claims. (Cl. 200-153) This invention relates to an actuator for momentarily operating electrical switches and has for its principal object the provision of a new and improved device of this kind.

It is a main object of the invention to provide an actuator for momentarily operating electrical switches, which is of simple construction and employs a minimum of parts, enabling it to be manufactured, assembled and maintained at low cost without sacrificing quality.

Another object of the invention is to provide an actuator of the class described, which can momentarily operate one or several electrical switches, as required.

Further objects of the invention not specifically mentioned here will be apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

' In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a yoke consists of a planar base plate 11, from the sides of which arms 12 and 13 project at right angles to the plane of the plate. The base plate 11 is reinforced by flanges 14 at its ends.

Mounted in and extending upwardly from the base plate 11 is a hollow bushing 15 that is threaded on its exterior surface and provided with a keyway 16. Suitable nuts 17 and a spacing washer 18 threaded upon the bushing 15 permit mounting the device upon a panel or escutcheon 19 in the usual manner.

Pivotally mounted in the open end of the hollow bushing 15 is an operating lever 20 which contains a notch 21 of essentially V configuration opening into its inner and lower end.

Fixed to the under surface of the base plate 11 is an actuator spring consisting of an end portion 22, from the ends of which side arms 23 and 24 project, these arms containing openings through which are extended rivets 25 that fix the spring upon the base plate. Projecting out of the end portion 22 of the actuator spring is a tongue 26 that extends upwardly from this portion and projects into the hollow bushing 15 and into the notch 21 in the inner end of operating lever 20. End portion 22 and arms 23 and 24 are formed as planar members. The tongue 26 is slightly longer than the distance between the under surface of the base plate 11 and the end of the lever 20, with the result that arms 23 and 24 of the actuator spring are normally flexed, as shown in full lines in Fig. l.

Mounted between arms 12 and 13 of the yoke are switch units 30 which may be of any preferred type, such as for example a snap action switch of the type shown in Letters Patent 2,594,216. Each of these switches 30 is provided with an operating plunger 31 movable inwardly of the switch housing to operate the switch.

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In Fig. 1 the operating lever and actuator spring are shown in full lines in normal position. It will be noted that the end portion 22 of the actuator spring engages the operating plunger 31. When pressure is applied to the operating lever 20 to move it on its pivot from the full line position to the dotted line position in Fig. 1, tongue 26 is moved thereby to increase the angle of flex of the arms 23 and 24 of the actuator spring and to move the end portion 22 of that spring downwardly, thereby forcing the operating plunger 31 of the switch mechanism downwardly. It will also be noted that the angle between the tongue 26 and the end portion 22 of the actuator spring is decreased from the angle shown in full lines to the angle shown in dotted lines. Plunger 31 has limited movement downwardly, and in order to provide a margin of safety this limit is reached before the operating lever has reached the dotted line position, so that the last portion of this movement into that position flexes the tongue 26 since the end portion 22 is blocked against further downward movement by the plunger 31.

As soon as the pressure on the operating lever 20 is released, the actuator spring restores the lever to its normal position and operating plunger 31 is thereby freed and moves upwardly to restore the switch mechanism to normal.

Thus it will be seen that the actuator spring of the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive, though thoroughly reliable, actuator for momentarily operating one or more switch mechanisms.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the yoke 10 is of such dimension as to accommodate two switch mechanisms 30 side by side. Obviously, if desired, the invention may equally Well be applied to a structure in which but a single switch mechanism is to be operated.

While we have chosen to illustrate our invention by showing and describing a preferred embodiment of it, we have done so by way of example only, as there are many modifications and adaptations which can be made by one skilled in the art within the teachings of the invention.

Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, what We consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. An actuator for momentarily operating electrical switch means having longitudinally movable plunger means, comprising: a yoke adapted to receive and support the switch means; a hollow bushing carried by said yoke; means for connecting said bushing to a mounting plate; a lever pivotally mounted in said bushing adjacent the outer open end thereof; an actuator spring fixed in said yoke and engaging said plunger means; and a tongue integral with said spring and projecting therefrom at substantially right angles thereto and into said bushing and engaging said lever.

2. An actuator for momentarily operating an electrical switch means having a longitudinally movable plunger, which switch means is mounted in a yoke having a base plate from which a hollow bushing projects, comprising: an actuator sprnig comprising an end portion from the ends of which side arms project and lie in the plane of said end portion; means securing the free ends of said side arms directly to said base plate; an operating lever pivotally mounted in said bushing near the free end thereof, there being a notch in the inner end of said lever; a tongue integral with the end portion of said spring projecting therefrom, at an angle slightly greater than a right angle, into said bushing and into the notch in said lever, said tongue being longer than the distance between said base plate and notch and flexing said side arms to move r 3 said end portion of the spring into engagement with the switch plunger, movement of the lever around its pivot further flexing said side arms thereby to operate the switch means and decreasing the angle between the end portion and tongue to, build up a restoring force in the actuator spring.

3. An actuator for momentarily operating an electrical switch means having a longitudinally movable plunger, which switch means is mounted in a yoke having a base plate from which a hollow bushing projects, comprising: an actuator spring comprising an end portion from the ends of which side arms project and lie in the plane of said end portion; means securing the free ends of said side arms directly to said base plate; an operating lever pivotally mounted .in said bushing near the free end thereof, there being a notch in theinner end of said lever; a tongue integral with said end portion of said spring, disposed midway between said side arms and projecting out of the plane of the spring at an angle slightly greater than a right angle, into said bushing and into the notch in said lever, said tongue being longer than the distance between said base plate and notch and flexing said side arms to move said end portion of the spring into engagement with the switch plunger, movement of the lever around its pivot further flexing said side arms to operate the switch means and to build up in the actuator spring aforce for restoring the operating lever.

4. An actuator for momentarily operating a pair of electric switches of the snap action type, comprising: a frame including a base plate and parallel arms extending from the sides of said plate at right angles thereto; a pair of electrically independent switch mechanisms mounted between said parallel arms; an operating plunger for each switch mechanism, projecting therefrom towards said base plate; a hollow bushing fixed in said plate and extending therefrom oppositely to said arms; an operating lever pivot-ally mounted in said bushing near the free end thereof and extending outwardly therebeyond; an actuator spring comprising parallel arms and fixed at one end directly to said base plate, which arms are joined together to their other ends by an integral planar portion that engages said operating plungers; a tongue integral with said planar portion and extending upwardly therefrom into said hollow bushing, there being a notch in the inner end of said operating lever into which said tongue projects; pressure on said operating lever moving it around its pivot and moving said tongue to flex the arms of said actuator spring andto move the planar portion thereof away from said base plate thereby to depress the plungers into the switch mechanisms, said spring arms restoring the actuator and switchmechanisms when said pressure is removed.

5. An actuator for momentarily operating electric switch means of the snap action type, comprising: a frame including a base plate and arms extending from the sides of the base plate; a hollow bushing fixed in said base plate and extending therefrom oppositely to said arms; an operating lever pivotally mounted in said bushing near the free end thereof and extending outwardly therebeyond; an actuating spring of U-shape, including a planar portion disposed transversely in said frame, and an arm extending from each end of said portion; means securing the free ends of the spring arms directly to said base plate; a tongue integral with said planar portion positioned midway between said arms and extending upwardly therefrom into said bushing, there being a notch in the inner end of said operating lever into which the free end of said tongue projects; switch means mounted in the arms of said'frame, having plunger means engaging the planar portion of said actuating spring, said operating lever on being rotated on its pivot moving said tongue in said bushing thereby flexing the arms of said actuating spring and moving the planar portion thereof to operate said plunger means and thereby operate the switch means.

References Cited in the =file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,650,964 Razdow Sept. 1, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 266,748 Switzerland May 1, 1950 

